City manager defends city vehicle clamping policy

CORK’S city manager has defended the city’s vehicle clamping policy following claims it was being used to fill council coffers.

Joe Gavin made his comments following accusations from Fianna Fáil Councillor Gary O’Flynn that the city’s clamping policy was “over the top”.

“It’s being used as a money-making racket. It’s just a means to fill the city council coffers,” Mr O’Flynn told Monday’s meeting of the city council.

He called on councillors to consider not renewing the current clamping contract with Central Parking Systems, due for renewal in December 2005.

But Mr Gavin defended the city’s clamping system and said it was good for city centre businesses. This is despite calls from Cork Business Association (CBA) at the weekend for an easing of clamping policy.

CBA president Frank Hanley said the city’s “militaristic clamping and towing operations” need to be eased to encourage people to shop in the city centre.

“The towing operation is far too rigid. Cars are even being towed late at night in the city. We can understand towing is sometimes a necessary procedure during peak hours, but discretion is necessary by the company so we do not end up with a ghost town on our hands,” Mr Hanley said.

But Mr Gavin said on Monday that clamping is in place to make the city streets safe and to increase the parking spaces for people wanting to shop in the city.

“The system is operated in a reasonable and fair manner,” he said.

He also denied it was a money-making tool. “The exercise is in fact loss-making,” he said.

It is understood that on the city’s South Mall, the turnover of on-street car parking spaces has increased four-fold since the introduction of clamping.

This means that people who want to shop and do business in the city centre have more parking spaces available to them in this area, Mr Gavin said.

He also said that parking compliance levels from the public have increased since clamping was introduced.

More parking discs have been sold in the last 12 months than in any year since the introduction of the parking disc system 17 years ago.